"Defer the explanation," she replied eagerly.
"I beg your pardon--it cannot be. Besides, how can you indulge a disposition thus unpitying? Even so ardently did I desire to render the man who loves you happy, that though he came armed against my life, had I not reflected, that previous to our engagement it would appear like fear, and the means of bartering for his forgiveness, I should have revealed your sentiments the moment I had seen him. When the engagement was over, I was too impatient to acquaint you with his safety, to think then on gratifying him. And indeed, the delicacy of the declaration, after the many denials which you have no doubt given him, should be considered. I therefore consult your opinion upon the manner in which it shall be made."
"Mr. Dorriforth, can you allow nothing to the moments of surprise, and that pity, which the fate impending inspired? and which might urge me to express myself of Lord Frederick, in a manner my cooler thoughts will not warrant?"
"There was nothing in your expressions, my dear Miss Milner, the least equivocal--if you were off your guard when you pleaded for Lord Frederick, as I believe you were, you said more sincerely what you thought; and no discreet, or rather indiscreet attempts to retract, can make me change these sentiments."
"I am very sorry," she replied, confused and trembling.
"Why sorry? Come give me commission to reveal your partiality. I"ll not be too hard upon you--a hint from me will do. Hope is ever apt to interpret the slightest words to its own use, and a lover"s hope is beyond all others, sanguine."
"I never gave Lord Frederick hope."
"But you never plunged him into despair."
"His pursuit intimates that I never have, but he has no other proof."
"However light and frivolous you have been upon frivolous subjects, yet I must own, Miss Milner, that I did expect when a case of this importance came seriously before you, you would have discovered a proper stability in your behaviour."
"I do, Sir; and it was only when I was affected with a weakness, which arose from accident, that I have betrayed inconsistency."
"You then a.s.sert again, that you have no affection for my Lord Frederick?"
"Not enough to become his wife."
"You are alarmed at marriage, and I do not wonder you should be so; it shews a prudent foresight which does you honour--but, my dear, are there no dangers in a single state? If I may judge, Miss Milner, there are many more to a young lady of your accomplishments, than if you were under the protection of a husband."
"My father, Mr. Dorriforth, thought your protection sufficient."
"But that protection was rather to direct your choice, than to be the cause of your not choosing at all. Give me leave to point out an observation which, perhaps, I have too frequently made before, but upon this occasion I must intrude it once again. Miss Fenton is its object--her fortune is inferior to your"s, her personal attractions are less"----
Here the powerful glow of joy, and of grat.i.tude, for an opinion so negligently, and yet so sincerely expressed, flew to Miss Milner"s face, neck, and even to her hands and fingers; the blood mounted to every part of her skin that was visible, for not a fibre but felt the secret transport, that Dorriforth thought her more beautiful than the beautiful Miss Fenton.
If he observed her blushes, he was unsuspicious of the cause, and went on.
"There is, besides, in the temper of Miss Fenton, a sedateness that might with less hazard ensure her safety in an unmarried life; and yet she very properly thinks it her duty, as she does not mean to seclude herself by any vows to the contrary, to become a wife--and in obedience to the counsel of her friends, will be married within a very few weeks."
"Miss Fenton may marry from obedience, I never will."
"You mean to say, that love shall alone induce you."
"I do."
"If you would point out a subject upon which I am the least able to reason, and on which my sentiments, such as they are, are formed only from theory, (and even there, more cautioned than instructed) it is the subject of love. And yet, even that little which I know, tells me, without a doubt, that what you said yesterday, pleading for Lord Frederick"s life, was the result of the most violent and tender love."
"The _little you know_ then, Mr. Dorriforth, has deceived you; had you _known more_, you would have judged otherwise."
"I submit to the merit of your reply; but without allowing me a judge at all, I will appeal to those who were present with me."
"Are Mrs. Horton and Mr. Sandford to be the connoisseurs?"
"No; I"ll appeal to Miss Fenton and Miss Woodley."
"And yet, I believe," replied she with a smile, "I believe theory must only be the judge even there."
"Then from all you have said, Madam, on this occasion, I am to conclude that you still refuse to marry Lord Frederick?"
"You are."
"And you submit never to see him again?"
"I do."
"All you then said to me, yesterday, was false?"
"I was not mistress of myself at the time."
"Therefore it was truth!--for shame, for shame!"
At that moment the door opened, and Mr. Sandford walked in--he started back on seeing Miss Milner, and was going away; but Dorriforth called to him to stay, and said with warmth,
"Tell me, Mr. Sandford, by what power, by what persuasion, I can prevail upon Miss Milner to confide in me as her friend; to lay her heart open, and credit mine when I declare to her, that I have no view in all the advice I give to her, but her immediate welfare."
"Mr. Dorriforth, you know my opinion of that lady," replied Sandford; "it has been formed ever since my first acquaintance with her, and it continues the same."
"But instruct me how I am to inspire her with confidence," returned Dorriforth; "how I am to impress her with a sense of that, which is for her advantage?"
"You can work no miracles," replied Sandford, "you are not holy enough."
"And yet my ward," answered Dorriforth, "appears to be acquainted with that mystery; for what but the force of a miracle can induce her to contradict to-day, what before you, and several other witnesses, she positively acknowledged yesterday?"
"Do you call that miraculous?" cried Sandford; "the miracle had been if she had _not_ done so--for did she not yesterday contradict what she acknowledged the day before? and will she not to-morrow disavow what she says to-day?"
"I wish that she may--" replied Dorriforth mildly, for he saw the tears flowing down her face at the rough and severe manner in which Sandford had spoken, and he began to feel for her uneasiness.
"I beg pardon," cried Sandford, "for speaking so rudely to the mistress of the house--I have no business here, I know; but where _you_ are, Mr.
Dorriforth, unless I am turned out, I shall always think it my duty to come."
Miss Milner curtsied, as much as to say, he was welcome to come. He continued,
"I was to blame, that upon a nice punctilio, I left you so long without my visits, and without my counsel; in that time, you have run the hazard of being murdered, and what is worse, of being excommunicated; for had you been so rash as to have returned your opponent"s fire, not all my interest at Rome would have obtained remission of the punishment."
Miss Milner, through all her tears, could not now restrain her laughter.
On which he resumed;
"And here do I venture, like a missionary among savages--but if I can only save you from their scalping knives--from the miseries which that lady is preparing for you, I am rewarded."
Sandford spoke this with great fervour, and the offence of her love never appeared to her in so tremendous a point of view, as when thus, unknowingly, alluded to by him.